FWC Research Update: July 2026

1,000th Sawfish Tagged! Characterized by their long, flattened, toothed rostrum, often referred to as “the saw," the smalltooth sawfish is the only species of sawfish found in Florida. FWC biologists have been studying this endangered species for over two decades, tagging and sampling mostly juveniles in the Caloosahatchee River, Peace River, Charlotte Harbor, and St. Lucie River. They recently tagged the 1,000th sawfish as part of this research. “Back when we started this work over 20 years ago, the thought of tagging a thousand sawfish wasn’t a goal,” said project lead Dr. Gregg Poulakis. “We just wanted to learn as much as we could to help promote recovery, since the species is only found in Florida and the western Bahamas these days. A thousand is certainly a milestone to appreciate, but there’s a lot more to do.” By collecting fin samples, biologists can learn more about the biology and ecology of the smalltooth sawfish, including population health and stability. Learn more about FWRI's Sawfish Research on our website. Channel Catfish vs. Blue Catfish FWC’s Freshwater Fisheries Research and Management groups have been monitoring catfish species in the Apalachicola River. The goal of this project is to assess the quality and species composition of Florida’s panhandle catfish fisheries and determine the effects that non-native catfish, such as Blue Catfish and Flathead Catfish, have on the ecosystem. View Post What Do You Do if You See a Marine Mammal Beached or Stranded? When marine mammals beach themselves, it’s often a sign that something is wrong and they need rescuing. STOP: Do not push them back. Pushing them back into the water can cause further injury or a delay in rescue and treatment. CALL: Instead, please call FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 (FWCC) right away if you see a beached dolphin, whale, manatee, or other wildlife. ASSIST: Let trained responders handle the rescue and assist if needed. This can save an animal's life and prevent further injury. View Post A Trio of Keystone Wildflowers Wildflowers do more than just look pretty across landscapes. Florida’s uplands are held together by plants like Gopher Apple, Summer Farewell, and Queen’s Delight. Flowering from late spring through fall, these wildflowers play important roles in Florida’s ecosystems. Gopher Apple is an essential groundcover and early nectar source for pollinators. Later in the season, it produces fruit that feeds wildlife like gopher tortoises. Queen’s Delight works to anchor dry landscapes with its deep roots and supports a wide variety of wildlife from native insects and pollinators to birds and rodents. Summer Farewell works to bridge the seasonal nectar gap from late summer into fall, offering resources to pollinators heading into cooler months. It is also the larval host for the Southern dogface butterfly. View Post Chasing the Summertime Bugs Every summer, the Florida Keys come alive as divers chase “bugs” – aka Caribbean spiny lobsters – during the 2-day recreational lobster sport season. These are some of the busiest boating days of the year in the Keys! Since the 1990s, researchers have used aerial surveys to understand patterns of lobster fishing activity during sport season, referred to locally as mini season. Turns out, fishers aren’t scattering randomly, they cluster in “hot spots,” and many of them return to the same locations every summer. This research provides knowledge of lobster fishing, supports boating safety and law enforcement, and fosters an abundant lobster population for fun and successful fishing adventures. View Publication New on MyFWC.com/Research We hope you enjoy these articles that have been recently added/updated on our website: Red Tide Current Status Red Tide-Related Hotlines and Information Sources 2026 Manatee Mortalities Annual Rescue Summaries [Manatee] Publication Spotlight New Publications Aquaculture in the Classroom Freshwater Plants Research Our Mission Through effective research and technical knowledge, we provide timely information and guidance to protect, conserve, and manage Florida's fish and wildlife resources.

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